A shipboard radio station includes all of the transmitting and receiving equipment installed aboard a ship for communications afloat. Depending on the size, purpose or destination of a ship, its radio station must meet certain requirements established by law or treaty. For example, large passenger or cargo ships that travel on the open sea are required by the Communications Act and by international agreements to be equipped with a radio station for long distance radio communications. Passenger ships that travel along the coast must be able to communicate at shorter range with coast stations. These are examples of “compulsory ships” because they are required or compelled by treaty or statute to be equipped with specified communications equipment.
Smaller ships used for recreation, e.g., sailing, diving, fishing or water skiing, are not required to have radio stations installed but they may be so equipped by choice. These ships are known as “voluntary ships” because they are not required by treaty or statute to carry a radio but may voluntarily fit some of the same equipment used by compulsory ships.
A shipboard radio station may communicate with other ship stations or coast stations primarily for safety, and secondarily for navigation and operational efficiency. The FCC regulates marine communications in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard, which monitors marine distress frequencies continuously to protect life and property. Ship station equipment often includes a fixed mount marine radio frequency transceiver, a radar system, Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs), single sideband radiotelephones and satellite radios.
In particular, marine radio frequency transceivers, generally referred to as “marine radios” or sometimes “marine transceivers,” are an important part of a marine communication system. A marine radio can be employed to call a remote ship station, place a call through a public coast station, receive a shore to ship call or initiate a marine distress call. For example, an operator places a call to a remote ship station by first ensuring that the fixed mount marine radio is operational. The operator then selects Channel 16 (156.8 MHz) and listens to make sure it is not being used. Alternatively, Channel 9 (156.45 MHz) may be used by recreational vessels for general purpose calling. This frequency should be used whenever possible to relieve congestion of Channel 16. When the channel is quiet, the operator places the call to the ship. The operator speaks directly into the fixed mount marine radio microphone in a normal tone of voice with clarity and distinctiveness and states “[name of ship being called] THIS IS [the name and call sign (if applicable) of the ship where the call is being placed].” Once contact is made on Channel 16, the ships switch to a ship-to-ship channel. For example, if the call regards a noncommercial message, Channel 71, 72 or 78 may be selected. Alternatively, if the call regards a navigational message, Channel 13 or 67 may be selected. After communications are completed, each ship provides its call sign or ship name and switches back to Channel 16.
Certain marine radios are fixed, while others are handheld. Fixed mount marine radios are fixed mounted at the radio station of the vessel. Usually, the radio station of the vessel is positioned at the bridge. Although a fixed mount marine radio can be very useful for communications between the bridge and vessels and locations outside of the vessel, such a radio does not provide portability. On the other hand, while handheld marine radios provide portability, they are limited as to power and effective range.